London rally says ‘Yes’ to Scottish independence

London rally says ‘Yes’ to Scottish independence. Crossposted from A World to Win

A rally in support of Scottish independence in London heard civil rights legend, socialist and former MP Bernadette Devlin McAliskey defend the right of people to change their state system.

Bernadette Devlin McAliskey (Photo from A World to Win)

“The state and the government are whipping boys of the bankers and corporations,” she told the meeting, urging people in Scotland to vote ‘Yes’.

She spoke passionately about the limits of representative democracy in keeping people at arms length.

What was taking place in Scotland was “a different conversation”. She added: “This is not about nationalism but about power and taking things into local control.”

Speaking for A World to Win, communications editor Paul Feldman said he “was with Lenin on this one”.

Lenin had supported the right of nations in the former Tsarist empire to self-determination and independence from Russia. “This included Ukraine and if Lenin were around today, he would surely support Scottish independence.”

He urged a Yes vote as a powerful way to “disrupt the British capitalist state” and throw into a serious crisis.

“Vote Yes and open up the struggle for a real transfer of power, both economic and political, to working people and away from the corporations and banks in Scotland and beyond.

“Vote Yes and work for a democracy beyond the limits of representative democracy that Bernadette so eloquently exposed.”

Steve Freeman of the Republican Socialist Alliance told the rally: “Scotland is staying on the same island as the rest of us. But the Scottish people have the chance to take more powers into their own hands. However, Cameron is right on one thing.

Steve Freeman (Photo from A World to Win)

“The future of Scotland is not simply a Scottish question. It is a class question and therefore not restricted by the Scottish border or who actually votes.”

Allan Armstrong of the Radical Independence Campaign ridiculed the idea that independence would divide workers from one another. In fact, he explained, Labour-controlled Glasgow council had already done that by outsourcing jobs and services.

Allan Armstrong (Photo from A World to Win)

Armstrong showed how Labour MPs from Scotland were, in fact, more reactionary than their counterparts in England, voting wholeheartedly for the Iraq war and other Blair policies.

Corinna Lotz, speaking for the Agreement of the People campaign, said the referendum had opened up wide discussion in Scotland and around Britain about constitutional questions.

“The sudden momentum for independence has shocked seasoned observers. Peter Kellner, president of YouGov could not believe results. It is fuelled by hatred of the establishment parties who oppose independence.”

Lotz said that a state seen before as a bulwark of stability, immune to revolution for almost 400 years was now visibly fractured.

“Scotland’s independence raises directly, what kind of state – if any – should those who seek real democracy today aspire to? The aspiration for independence raises the question – how can this improve the daily lives of ordinary people?

“How can local – i.e. democratic – control of resources, wealth and talents of a nation become the shared good of all? Doesn’t this require the transfer of power away from the ruling elite – English AND Scottish capitalists and the state which serves their interests and those of the global corporations?”

Messages of solidarity came from, among others, Socialist Resistance, the Socialist Workers Party, Open Democracy, Plaid Cymru, the Republican Socialist Alliance, the ‘Yes’ tendency in Left Unity and RS21. The Artist Taxi Driver produced an hilarious video in support.